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Cleaver: 'Wrong' to say war on women, religion

By MACKENZIE WEINGER

04/08/2012 10:34 AM EDT

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) said Sunday it's “wrong” for Democrats to say the Republican Party is engaged in a war on women.

In a discussion with Ralph Reed — the founder and chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition — on CNN's "State of the Union," Cleaver also shot down the idea the president has declared a war on religion.

Asked by Reed if it's wrong for Democrats to say that the Republican Party is waging a war on women, Cleaver replied, "That is wrong. And I've never said it, not one time."

Additionally, Cleaver said it is “absurd” to say President Barack Obama has declared war on religion.

“We've gone way too far with all of this, the president has declared war on religion,” he said. “That is absurd. The Chinese have declared war on religion. The Iranians have declared war on religion. And I think when we exaggerate things like that, it further polarizes the country.”

Cleaver, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus and a United Methodist Church pastor, added, “We have got to quit exaggerating our political differences. If you believe that the president is a Christian, why would you still come to the belief that he's trying to destroy religion in this country? I think we've got to stop that. That is not doing this country any good at all. And the truth of the matter is, we know better.”